shall be pronounced Giue an accompts of thy stewardship Luk. 16.1 thou maist be no longer Steward The Texte saith that the euill Stewarde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was first accused to his Maister that he wasted his goods and then he was called to his reckoning Euen so shall all blinde guides dombe Dogges vnfaithfull Stewards Idole Sheepheards slouthfull loiterers first be accused to God and then called to their accompts who shall be their accusers euery slothfull and vnfaithful Steward of what calling soeuer he be shall haue thrée accusers Rom. 2.15 The first is their owne conscience for that will be as good as a thousand witnesse Iuuenal Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem A corrupt conscience is called a continuall Hangeman Gen. 4.7 it is sinne laying at the doore of our hearts it is called of the Prophet Esay a Worme that neuer dyeth and a Sea which alwayes rageth without rest Isa 66.24 1. Tim. 4.2 of Paul a fearing with a hoate Iron and in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 10.26 a terrible looking for of iudgement and violent fier to deuour the aduersaries and therefore as often as they call to minde remember how they haue eaten the fat Ezech. 34.3.4 cloathed themselues with the Woll but that they haue not fed the Sheepe nor strengthened the weake nor healed the sick nor bouÌ„d vp the broke nor brought againe that which was driuen away nor sought vp that which was lost but haue ruled their slocks with rigor and cruelty this corrupt conscience Rom. 2.15 wil be as good as a thousaÌ„d witnesses to accuse coÌ„demne theÌ„ before the throne of God Isa 57.21 2. Tim. 1.7 Sap. 17.10.11 There is no peace to the wicked the Lord hath sayd it but they shal cary in their brests feare terror tormeÌ„ting furies coÌ„tinually citing theÌ„ before the tribunall seat of Christ And if there be any which with vayne pastimes and pleasures of this worlde doo driue away the remembraunce of Gods iudgements for a time yet are they neuer the better for it for although they séeme to reioyce yet as Salomon sayeth Pro 1.14.13 20.17 Euen in the laughing the hart is sorrowfull and the mirth dooth end in heauines Although the bread of deceipt be sweet in the mouth for a while yet in the end the mouthe shal be filled with Grauell although for a time they liue without remorse of conscience Luke 11.21 and the stronge man dooth so possesse all things that all things seeme to be quiet yet in the end they shall be neuer the better for it no more then the stall fedde Oxe is the better because he knoweth not that he is taken out to the slaughter house for a sodaine death will haue the greater feaâ—e 1. Cor. 1.12 And therefore good brethren let euery one of vs endeuour as much as we can to kéepe the testimonie of a good conscience for as of all the treasures and pleasures in the worlde a quiet conscience is the greatest Pro. 15.15 as Salomon saith a good conscience is a continuall feast so it is the greatest horrour in the world to make Shipwrake of a good conscience 1. Iohn 3 21. for if our hart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and therefore let euery one of vs labour faithfully and painefully in the Lords Haruest let vs as good stewards giue vnto the household their portion of meate in due season that whensoeuer we must leaue our flocks we may euery one of vs in the testimonie of a good conscience say as Paule saide to the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20.26.27 I take you all to recorde this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I haue kept nothing back but haue shewed you all the counsell of God The second witnesse which shall accuse thée if thou be an euil Steward is the crie of the poore people which by thy negligence are pinched with the famine of the worde of God Amos. 8.11 for if in plaging of the body of goods that be true which the wiseman saith Ecclc. 35.15 that the teares which runne downe from the Widdowes cheekes go vp into heauen and the Lord which heareth them doth accept them and that which Iames saith Iam. 5.4 the crye of the poore dooth enter into the eares of the Lorde of Hoastes and that which Dauid affirmeth that Psal 56.8 God dooth put the teares of his Saints in his bottell how much more shall the teares and the cry which commeth by the plaging of the soule go vp into the eares of the Lord of Hoasts when the People shall huÌ„ger thirst for the foode of Godsword thou hast none to giue them when they shall crie for their portion of meate and thou hast none neither for thy selfe nor for them This crie goeth vp into heaueÌ„ and the Lord which heareth it dooth accept it when he calleth thée to thy reckoning he will one day remember it The thirde witnesse which shall accuse all euill Stewards is the hurt dammage which is done in the Lords Haruest by their negligence Gen 4.10 for if the voice of the bloud of Abell did crie out of the earth for vengeance and if in building of houses with the oppressioÌ„ of the poore one stone doo crie vnto another â—bac 2.11 one beame crie against an other woe be to him that buildeth of bloud How much more shal the bloud of the soules of meÌ„ the maintaining of our wealthy estates by the perishing of so many soules cry continually out of the earth to the Lord for vengeance And thus if thou be an vnfaithfull and negligent Steward thou hast three accusers continually citing thee before the throne of God and the Lord which heareth their accusations will one day call thee to thy reckoning when he himselfe shall descende from heauen with a showte 1. The. 4.16.17 and with the voice of the Archangell with the trumpet of God and thou shalt meete him in the Cloudes where thou shalt see heauen aboue thee ready to receaue the saints of God Hell beneathe thee gaping to deuoure thee round about thee the world burning the Elements melting with heate thine owne sinnes on the one side of thee and the sinnes of all those which haue perished by thy negligence on the other side of thee behinde thee the Deuill ready to accuse thee within thee a conscience already condemning thee and before thy face the terrible Iudge accompanied with thousands of Angels calling thee to giue an accomptes of thy Stewardship And if it be founde that Luke 12.48.45.46 thou hast not giuen to the Househoulde of God their portion of meate in due season but hast smitten thy fellow seruauÌ„ts and giuen thy selfe to eate and drinke Math. 25.30 and to be dronken then moste assuredlye thou shalt be cut off and haue thy portion
Maister might leane on his hand and so he might serue the King according to his office As godly Ioseph serued wicked Pharao Gen. 41.42 1. Reg. 18.4 Phili. 4.22 vertuous Obadiah serued the Idolatrous Achab and there were many Saints in the house of Nero. And thus dooth Naaman require that he might for a time doo seruice to the King of Aram to how down that he might â—leane on his haÌ„d 2. Reg. 5.17 but otherwise he prououÌ„ceth plainlie that he will offer sacrifice to none but vnto the Lord God of Israell And for a signe and seale thereof he requested to haue two Mules loaded with the earth of Israell to carie with him into the lande of Syria to be a witnesse and as it were a publique confession that he worshipped none but the Lord God of Israell and yet notwithstanding he dooth not instifie this his seruice to a heathen Prince but dooth acknowledge it to be a faulte and therfore desireth the Prophet to pray for him that this sinne may not be layde to his charge And Elisaeus dooth not denie but that it was a faulte but he byddeth him Goe in peace rather bearing with his infirmitie then any wayes allowing it and howsoeuer Elisaeus would not presse him too sore because he was a Nouice and newlie conuerted vnto the true Religion of God yet it dooth not followe that we Christians which haue receyued more aboundaunt knowledge of the trueth béeing confirmed with the death and passion of Christe and witnessed with the blood of so many Martyres should of a particular exsample gather a generall doctrine to couer our dissembling in Religion and renouncing of our Lord and Sauiour And last of all the aunswere of Elizaeus Goe in peace because it is the common phrase whereby the Hebrewes doo bydde a man farewell to saye Goe in peace it must not be referred to the last woordes which Naaman spake of the bowing downe in the Temple of Remmon but generallie to all the woordes which were before spoken betwixt them For their talke béeing ended Eccl. 23.11 he vade him farewell saying Goe in peace and so departed whereby ye sée plainlie that this place dooth nothing allowe any dissembling in Religion neyther by the woordes of Naaman nor yet by the woords of the Prophete An other ensample there is of Paule 1. Cor. 9.20 who amongst the Iewes became a Iewe and amongst the Gentiles a Gentile and became all thinges to all men to winne some This place is abused by many to couer their fleshe with a maske and to transforme their Satan into an Angell of lyght whereby they doo great iniurie to the holie Apostle of Christe For because hee became amongst them which were without the lawe as béeing him selfe without Lawe shall we therefore thinke that amongste drunkerdes he became a drunkerde or amongste théeues a théefe or amongste Idolatours an Idolatour When he was at Ephesus or at Ciprus or at Athens dyd he doo any worshippe or offer any Sacrifice to Diana to Venus Acts. 17.32 19.24 21.28 24.28 to Minerua to Iupiter to Neptune Nay dyd he not so fréelie reprooue and condemne their Idolatrie and preache vnto them the Lorde Iesus that they persecuted him euerie where and moued insurrection against him and sought by all meanes possible to dispatch and to murder him Acts. 16.3 Acts. 18 18. 21.24 Vnto the Iewes in déede Paule became a Iew he went into the Temple at Ierusalem to purifie him selfe and to offer Sacrifice he made a vowe and caused his head to be shauen he circumcised Timothy But why so because these Ceremonies of the Iewes were commaunded of God him selfe and therefore it was lawfull for all men to vse them to edification according vnto Christian lybertie vntyll Iesus Christe was fullie made manifest and by his death and passion had vtterlie taken away all the Iewes Rites and Ceremonies and also vntil the Iewes were perfectlie aduertised of their lybertie in Christe and of the abrogation of their Ceremonies But afterward when Paule sawe that some of them did confirme them selues in superstition and required Ceremonies as necessarie vnto saluation then he cried out against them and openlie condemned them and when he sawe that some false brethren came to spie his libertie Gal. 2.3 Gal 5.2 he could not Circumcize Titus as he had Circumcized Timothie But he accoumpted it damnable and taught men plainlie that if they were Circumcized the death of Christe could nothing profite them So also among the Gentiles Paule became a Gentile But howe Not in allowing their Idolatrie but in obeying their ciuill Lawes pollitique customes and in agréeing to all their déedes which were not repugnaunt to the word of God He obeied also their Princes and Rulers Act. 16.19.38 22.25 26.32 and béeing a Cittizen of Roome appealed vnto Caesar and vsed Heathen Magistrate for the defence of his cause in that they were the Ministers of God But otherwise he neuer applied him selfe vnto their false Religion and Idolatrie neither did he by holding his peace allowe any thing in them which was contrary to the woord of God But what shall we saye to Nicodemus Iohn 3.2 He stole to our Sauiour Christe in the night he durst not confesse him openlie in the daye was he therefore condemned because he durste not openlie with his mouth confesse the Lord Iesus I aunswere that although Nicodemus came to our sauiour Christe in the night it dooth not therefore followe that he dyd blaspheme him or deny him in the daye And although in the beginning his incredulitie and infirmitie could not be excused Iohn 7.50 yet afterwarde he became so zealous and constaunt that he resisted his companions the Phariseis and thought nothing too precious Iohn 19.39 to be bestowed vpon the honouring of his Lorde and Sauiour He declared him selfe with Ioseph of Aramathia to be one of his Disciples when all his Disciples had forsaken him he made then a publique confession with the greatest daunger that might be and when there was more occasion to feare then euer there was then they demaunded the body of Pilate to burie it and Nicodemus bought Myrhe and Aloes mingled together about an hundred pounde and wrapped the body of Iesus in Linnen and swéete Odours to burie it And thus ye see good Brethren that these exsamples doo nothing serue to cullour and cloake the infirmitie of our flesh howsoeuer they séeme at the first to make some thing for vs yet if we examine them thorowlie they are vtterlie against vs. But it fareth with this fleshe of ours as it dooth with a quarrelling man whose delight is onlie to trouble his neighbours in suites of Lawe He goeth to séeke the aduise of some Councellors and Attorneyes and if he lyght vpon such as haue good Consciences and tell him the trueth of his case and bydde him giue ouer his suite for his matter is not good then he goeth away angrie
good for euill and looue them which hated them and blesse them which curssed them and in all his life he made a mocke of Christe and called him the Carpenters sonne and the man of Galily But what came of it in the ende when he sawe his death at hande he cryed out with a desperate mind Vicisti Gallilaee O thou man of Galiley thou hast gotten the victory Ioh. 4.25 The Iewes saw manifestlye that Christ was the Messias Act. 3.6 the sonne of God which was promised they sawe the power of his Godhead by all the miracles Ioh 8.46 7.40 2.9 which were wrought not onely by him selfe but by his Apostles in his name they sawe the innocencye of his lyfe the maiesty of his woord the certiâ—nde of his prophesies they saw his mighty omnipotencie by turning the water into Wine Mat. 14.19 by féeding so many thousandes with a fewe barlie loues and a fewe fishes Mar 4.39 by commaunding the Sea and Winde by giuing sight to the borne blinde by making the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to goe the dead to ryse Luk. 8.30 17.14 Ioh. 4.18 by clensing Lepers by casting out deuils by telling them the very thoughtes and cogitations of their hearts They saw all thinges fulfilled in him which the Prophets had foretold them as Zachery Zach. 9.9 of the King which shoulde come poorely and riding vpon an Asse Isa 53.3.10 Esay of the laying downe of his soule an offering for sinne Dauid of his féete and his hands bored Psa 22 16 18 of the thirst vineger and of the casting lots for his garments also which Moses had foreshadowed vnto them by his sacrifices vpon the Aulters Num. 21.9 Ioh. 1.29 and by the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent They hearde Iohn Baptist a Prophet and more then a Prophet not declaring in woord but poynting out with his finger Mat 27.51.45 Luc. 23.45 The Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world They saw how at the time when he was crucified the vayle of the Temple burst and darknes ouershadowed the earth They saw how gloriously the body of Christe was risen againe out of the graue Mat. 27.65 Math. 28 4.5 and they knew well enough that it coulde not be stolen away by vnarmed Disciples from so many harnised Souldiars as they had placed to kéepe the graue Act 1.11 2.3 5 41. 7.60 They saw this his wonderfull resurrection witnessed by the testimony of men Women and Angels They perceiued the giftes of the holy ghoste which after his visible ascention he powred out most plentifully vpon his Apostles and Disciples And they sawe also his Apostles Disciples which were alwayes conuersaunt with him so stedfastly to beléeue in him that they did not onely suffer greate tribulation for the professing of his name but also endured most cruell death sealing theyr profession with their owne blood as with a most certaine testimonie Col. 2.9 which surely they would neuer haue don vnles they had séene the godhead to dwell corporally in him All these thinges the Iewes sawe well enough and yet notwtstanding all these testimonies of meÌ„ of Angels and of God himselfe saying from heauen This is my well belooued sonne Math. 3.17 17.5 in whom I am well pleased Notwithstanding I say all these thinges confirmed with so many witnesses beholden with so many eyes and as it were handled with theyr owne hands yet they would not confesse the Lord Iesus to be theyr Messias but obstinately renounced theyr Lorde and Sauiour but howe did the Lorde plague them for thys their offence euen with the plague which is threatned by the Prophet Isa 6.9 Mat. 13.14 Rom. 11.8 that theyr hearts should be made fat and their eares heauy and their eyes blinde least they should see with their eyes or heare with their eares or vnderstande with theyr hearts and be saued They mocked and scorned our Sauiour and his Disciples and now they theÌ„selues are made a scorne and a laughing stocke vnto others lyuing in miserable slauery and bondage and being lamentably scattered abroade ouer the face of the earth so disdained and hated that vnto this day the verye name of a Iewe is odious thoroughout all the world They will not confesse the Lord Iesus to be their Messias but they looke for an other Messias But looke they doo looke they shall and they shall neuer sée him vntill the day of vengeaunce then they shall see him whether they will or no but as a iudge and not a Sauiour To descende from the Ievves to examples of latter time God hath shewed sufficient tokens of his iudgementes euen in mans memory to terrifye vs all and to teach vs what a horrible thing it is to renounce the true fayth of Iesus Christ Fraunces Spera after that he had in Citadell professed the Gospell of Christ after warde by the threatning of the Popes Legate in Venis and by the desire which he had of worldly riches he renounced openly recanted his fayth and religion but he was by and by stricken with horrour desperation and confusion he felte the torment of hell in his conscience he desired to be in the place of Iudas Caine â—e looked for Belzebub to call him to a â—aste he cryed out that he was a reproâ—te from the beginning and that the â—eath and passion of Christ could nothing â—uaile him He wished that he might reâ—aine tenne thousande yéeres and more 〈◊〉 the flames of hell fyre so that at the â—ste he mighte conceaue some hope of an â—de but that he could hope for nothing â—ut euerlasting destruction both of bodye â—nd soule he cryed out alas that curssed â—ay alas that curssed day that euer he renounced his Lord and Sauiour and at â—he last in a desperate mynde he stranged himselfe and so ended his wretched â—se with a most miserable death So also Stephen Gardener Act. mo pag. 1992 when there â—ame a Bishoppe vnto him lying on his death Beddeâ— and put him in remembraunce of Peters denying his Maister aunswered againe that hee had denyed with Peter but that he could not repent with Peter So also one Rockwood at the poynte of death staring and raging sayde that â—he was vtterly dampned and béeing willed to aske mercy cryed out all all too late all to late I might rehearse also the death of diuers others as Hales Thorneton Smith and many others of whose death we may not iudge but commit iudgement to him to whom it belongeth but most certainly it was horrible fearefull in the sight of man I might also declare the gréeuous plagues wherewith God hath punished the persecutors of theÌ„ which haue professed the name of Christ Herod soughte by all meanes possible to roote out the name of Christe and to destroy the babe Iesus but in the ende hee was plagued with a desperate minde so that he
would haue stickt a knife into his owne heart Iosephus de antiq li. 17. cap. 8 if Achiab his kinsman had not with houlden his hande and yet he did not so escape the vengeaunce of God for he was striken with Feauers with wonderfull swellinges and last of all with Woormes to deuoure him moste horribly to beholde Iohn 19.22 Suppl cron Eutrop. lib. 7. cap. 7. Euse lib. 2 cap. 7 Pilate vniustly crucified Iesus of Nazereth whom he coulde not but confesse to be the King of the Iewes but within a fewe dayes after he was driuen to hang himselfe Nero a blood thirsty Tyraunt persecuted imprisoned and murdered Paule many other Christians in Rome which professed themselues to bee the seruants of the Lord Iesus But in the end â—e was moste gréeuously plagued for the â—ame for béeing wonderfully troubled with terrours and teares and fearefull â—reames he would haue had some fréende â—o haue cut off his head he coulde not get so much fréendship he would haue drowned himselfe in the riuer Tibris but that â—he was holden backe by one Phaon and at the last hee thruste his knife into his owne throate And thus wee sée that they which persecute the confessors of the Lorde Iesus rather then they shall want a hangman they shall become hangmen vnto themselues I might rehearse also diuers others Emperours of Rome which although they were of greate mighte and power in the world yet dyd they in vain kicke against the spurre when they persecuted the professors of the Gospell of Christ Valerian the Emperor was a blody persecutor of the Christians his rewarde was to be caryed away in a Cage Act. mon pag. 30.31 59.75.86.89 by Sappores the King of Persia who brought him to such slauery that he made of him a blocke to get vp vpon his Horsse Maxentius Maximinian and Dioclesian béeing Emperours of Rome they cruelly murdered the Saints of Christe But escaped not Gods vengeaunce volat lib. 23 when one of them fell of a bridge with his Horsse harnes the other was plagued with lice and vermine gusshing out of his entrals And the last was driuen to this extremitye to poyson himselfe Sundry other examples I might recite vnto you of latter yéeres but that the time will not suffer me and these may be sufficient to testifie vnto vs all what a horrible thing it is not onely to renounce the Lorde Iesus our selues but also to speake by any meanes whatsoeuer to compell others therevnto And now therefore that I may drawe to an ende let vs consider in a woorde or two whom it is whom Saint Paule will haue vs to confesse with our mouthes we must confesse with our mouthes the Lorde Iesus that is we must coÌ„fesse Christ onely to be our Sauiour and that we looke for saluation in none other for this is signified by the name of Iesus Math. 1.21 as the Angell sayth to Ioseph thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue the people from their sinnes Peter when he was examined by what meanes the impotent man was made whole aunswered Act. 4.10 Be it known vnto you all and to all the people of Israell that by the name of Iesus Christe of Nazereth whom ye haue crucified whom God raised againe from the dead euen by him dooth this man stande before you whole This is the stone caste aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in anye other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen by whom we must be saued but onely by the name of Iesus of Nazereth Then as often as we heare the name of Iesus we must call to minde how God the father which cannot lye hath commaunded by an Angell from Heauen that the name of Iesus that is a Sauiour should be giuen to his Sonne béeing made manifest in the fleshe and therefore that hee will moste certainlye saue vs full and perfectlye both in bodye and soule And we must call to remembraunce the sweete promises of the Gospell whych laye hydde vnder this name of Iesus that he by his merrites hath saued vs from our sinnes and by his vertue and power dooth dayly mortifie the Reliques of sinne in vs and quicken vs with his holy spirite and kéepe vs vnto saluatioÌ„ 1. Pet. 1.5 which is prepared to be shewed in the last time as Paule sayth While we were yet sinners Rom. 5.9 Christ died for vs much more then being now iustified we shall be saued from wrath through him For if when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saued by his life Esa 53.5 And therefore doth Christe beare the name of Iesus because by his stripes we are healed because by him we haue redemption through his blood Ephe. 1.7 2 Tim. 1.10 Heb. 2.14 euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace because by hys death death is destroyed and he that had the power of death that is the Deuill And therefore for our cause hee beareth that excellent name giuen him of his Father from Heauen to wit Iesus a Sauiour that he might indede effectually shew foorth the trueth of his name in my saluation and in the saluation of all beléeuers 1 Cor. 10.13 He is faythfull which beareth the name of Iesus and therefore Hebru 10 2â— 2. Tim. 2.13 as he is called a Sauiour so no doubt he will indéede shew himselfe a Sauiour vnto vs he is also able to saue vs for to him is all power giuen in heauen and in earth séeing that God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus euery knée should bowe bothe of things in heauen and of things in earth Phil. 2.9.10 and of things vnder the earth that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lorde to the glory of God the father And this cannot but be a great comfort to the heart of euery Christian that the Lord Iesus is true and therefore as he is called a Sauiour so will he shew himselfe indéede he is also omnipotent and therefore able to performe it to the saluation of all beleeuers Rom. 4.21 so that we may bouldly say with Paul 1 Cor. 15 55.5â— O Death where is thy stinge O Hell where is thy victory Thankes be to God which hath giuen vs the victorie thorough our Lorde Iesus Christe Iam. 1.6 1. Pet. 1.13 Heb. 10.22 2. Tim. 1.12 Whosoeuer then dooth doubt of his saluation béeing like a waue of the Sea which is rossed about with euery winde and dooth not fully perswade himselfe that he is of the number of them for whom Christ dyed vpon the Crosse and whosoeuer dooth put his trust in any other thing but onely in the death and passion of Iesus Christe these doo bothe deny and renounce their Lorde and Sauiour
whom we must be gathered Iohn 10.7 and brought home vpon his shoulders the onely doore by whom we must enter Math. 9.12 Math. 17.5 Iohn 1.4 5.26 1. Cor. 3 11. Ephe. 2.10 the onely Phisicion to cure our maladyes the onely Maister whom we must heare the way the trueth the lyfe the light the foundation and chéefe corner Stone on whome onely wee must builde our onely hope and consolation our wisdome iustification Math. 12.21 1. Cor. 1.30 Math. 11.27 Ephe. 2.18 1. Tim. 2.5 Iohn 4.10 7.38 sanctification and redemption the only Mediator and Aduocate betwixt God and maÌ„ whose bloude onely dooth purge vs from all our sinnes We must confesse hym to bee the onely giuer of the warer of lyfe whereof whosoeuer tasteth shall neuer thirste Iohn 6.51 but it shall bee in his belly as a Fountaine springing vp to eternall lyfe the onelye bread of lyfe whych came downe from Heauen of whom whosoeuer eateth shall liue for euer Rom. 13.14 Gal. 5.16 the onely riches whereby our pouertie must be releeued the onely rayment wherewith our nakednesse must be couered The victorious Lion of the Tribe of Iuda Gen. 49.10 1. Cor. 15.55 by whom all our enemyes are subdued the Diuil unchained Hell gates destroyed death swallowed vp in victorie Ephe. 2.16 Colos 2.14 the wrath of God slaine the law crucifyed sinne vanquished and abolished and we our selues made partakers of the euerlasting Crowne of glorie Ephe. 2.22 4.15 2. Cor. 11.2 We must confesse him to be the onely head of the body the onely husband of his deare Spouse the Church The Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which was and is to come euen the almighty for euer the holy and true Apoc. 1.8 3 7. which hath the Key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth who by his incarnation natiuity circumcision exile Baptisme fasting temptation doctrine miracles agonyes bloudy sweate paynefull passion Math. 16.27 Luk. 24.52 Hebr. 8.1 10 12. 1. â—hes 4.16 death resurrection and ascention ouercame all our enemyes and now sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty making intercession for vs and shall come at the laste day to iudgement in the twinkeling of an eye with the blaste of a trumpet and sound of an Archangell to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead If we thus confesse the Lord Iesus héere in earth Math. 10 3â— then haue we a comfortable promise that he will likewise confesse vs before his â—ther which is in Heauen Hebr. 2.11 he will not be ashamed to call vs brethren he will giue vs this honourable title to be called Heires of God fellow Heires with Iesus Christ Rom. 8.17 And thus much of the first part how euery Christian muste with his mouthe confesse the Lorde Iesus Of the second part which is that we must beleeue in heart that God raysed him vp againe from the dead because it conteyneth the Article of iustification a matter large and waighty not lightly to be posted ouer but requiring a longer discourse as béeing the cheefest principle of Christian Religion I am therefore purposed God willing to intreate therevpon to morrow at the firste morning prayer In the meane time let vs meditate vpon this which we haue learned alreadye that not onely our soules but our whole bodyes are made to glorifie God the Creator 1. Cor. 6.19 Christe Iesus the Redéemer and the holy ghost the sanctifier and as all the body so especially the tongue Phil. 2.11 that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father we haue heard also where we must confesse the Lorde Iesus as in all places Psalm 22.22 so especially in the middest of the congregation and amongst our brethren because we are not borne to our selues 1. Pet. 4.11 1. Thes 5.11 but first to the honour and praise of the name of God and then to the edification instruction and comforte of our brethren Ephe. 6.4 and last of all to the godly bringing vp and reléeuing of our selues and our familyes in the feare and nurture of the Lorde We haue hearde all those reasons aunswered which are drawne from the example of Naaman Paul and Nicodemus to cloake and couer that dissembling in religion which is flatly and plainely condemned by the worde of God because that if Christ doo dwel in our harts by faithe Ephe. 3.17 it is vnpossible that the Diuell should be in the tongue and the other meÌ„bers of the body which haue their life of the heart and are gouerned by the heart and also because God béeing a iealious God Exod. 20.5 will suffer no part of his Spouse to be giueÌ„ to any but to himselfe alone we haue heard also the sundry sorts of the policies of worldly wise men which are all contrarie to the true and constant confessing of the Lorde Iesus therewithall the manner how they must repent and ameÌ„d which is by casting away all respect of feare or fauour of meÌ„ or of the losse of lande liuing yea and of the life it selfe constantly with the mouthe to confesse the Lord Iesus and so much the rather because if anye trouble or persecution should come Rom. 8.28 yet all things will worke for the best to those that loue God We haue heard the plagues and heauie iudgements of God shewed all vpon those which for any worldly respect haue renouÌ„ced the Lord Iesus as also vpon theÌ„ which haue sought by violence to enforce others therunto Titus 1.16 And last of all we haue heard the manner howe we must confesse him not onely in worde but also indéede that he is our Iesus that is our Sauiour and therefore will saue vs is also able to saue vs being the heire of all things in Heauen in earth and therefore that without all wauering Actes 4.12 we hope assuredly to be saued by him looke for no saluatioÌ„ in any other if we thus confesse him in this world he will also confesse vs before his father Luke 12.8 Hebr. 2.11 Rom. 8.17 before his holy Angels in HeaueÌ„ he wil acknowledge vs to be his brethreÌ„ fellow heires wheÌ„ he shal pronouÌ„ce the ioyfull seÌ„teÌ„ce Come ye blessed of my father inherit you the kingdoÌ„ prepared for you froÌ„ the foundations of the world Then shall we be with the Lambe and go whether he goeth then shall we make an other ioyefull confession with heauenly Harmonie and moste pleasaunt melodie when we shall accompany the Archangels Thrones Powers Dominions Cherubins Seraphins Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Virgins Confessours Angels Elders and innumerable thousands of Saints and with a new Songe for euer glorifying our Lord Iesus saying Apoc. 4.8 5.11 Thou Christ which was slaine art worthy to receiue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glorie and blessing Holy
be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of God and from the glory of his power great cause ye haue to lift vp your harts vnto the Lord earely and late and continually to praye vnto the Lorde of the Haruest to sende foorth labourers into his Haruest and not onely to praye for labourers but also to praye that the labours and paines of the labourers may be profitable vnto you Actes 16.14 For except the Lorde doo open the hart of Lydia she cannot so much as marke those things which Paul speaketh Neither can the word of God any thing profit you vnlesse with the planting of Paul 1. Cor. 3.6 and watering of Appollo God doo giue the increase and as the Prophet saith Ezech. 11.19 put a new spirit within your bowels and take away your stonie hearts and giue you hearts of flesh And therfore whensoeuer the séede of Gods word is sowen in your hearts praye vnto God that he will so water it with the dew of his holy spirit that it may take such déepe roote that Sathan be neuer able to plucke it awaye assuring your selues that the Diuill dooth goe about nothing so dilligently as to keepe you in ignoraunce and blindnesse 〈◊〉 and to snatche the seede of the worde Luke 8.12 out of your heartes least ye should beleeue and be saued When a mā hath taken away the weapon from his enemy then may he worke his pleasure and use him as he will Euē so if Sathan can pluck away our weapon The sworde of the spirit out of our hands then may he handle vs as he wil when we know not the trueth Ephe. 6.17 he may intangle vs in his snares at his owne will drawe vs vnto all wickednesse and mischiefe 1 Tim. 2.25.26 and therefore his chéefe endeuour hath euer béene to kéepe the people vnarmed and to maintaine his Bulwarke of ignoraunce blindenesse for this cause he sendeth his Messengers to sowe this doctrine in the hearts of men that Ignoraunce is the mother of deuocion that the Bible ought to be lockt vp and nothing to be heard but the traditions of his sonne the Pope that it is Heresie to heare the word of God that the people may indeede come to the Church to be Christened to be Maryed and to be buryed but in no case to pray or to heare the Gospell of Christ And thus the God of this world hath blinded their eies that 2. Cor. 4.4 the light of the glorious gospell of Christe which is the Image of God should not shine vpon thē Others thinke that if they come to the Church orderly customably to pray that then they haue gon far enough as for hearing the worde of God they make small accompts of it therefore if they can get such as can read thē morning euening prayer they care for no other labourers in the Haruest But these doo not consider that which Salomon saithe Hee which turneth awaye his eare from hearing the law euen his praier shal be abhominable Prou. 28.9 although hee patter vp neuer so many prayers yet vnlesse he shew therwithall a zeale to héer the word of God his praier is abhominable in the sight of God this is a plague of all plagues that that prayer whereby we should aske all good things at Gods hands that prayer shall be come abhominable An other spiritual plague is the taking away of the foode of our soules and the depriuing vs of the Gospell of Christ which the Lorde dooth threaten to all the contemners of his word Amos. 8.11 Behould the dayes come sayth the Lorde God that I will send a famine in the Lande not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but a famine of hearing the worde of God and they shall wander from the North vnto the West from one Sea to another they shall runne too and fro to seeke the worde of God and shall not finde it Math. 21.43 And Christ dooth threaten the Iewes that for their vnthankfulnesse the kingdome of God the preaching of the Gospell should be taken from them and giuen to an other nation which should bring foorth the fruite thereof And surely if we consider our owne vnthankfulnesse in this Realme of England we shal be compelled to confesse that we haue deserued long a go to haue this plague to be brought vpon vs that the worde of God should be taken from vs and giuen to an other nation which shall bring forth the fruite therof For what one among a thousande hath any care for the heauenly foode of his soule what one among a thousand doth praye earnestly to the Lord of the Haruest to sende foorth labourers into his Haruest Naye we are rather glutted with it it is but a vile meate thinke we Numb 11.5 we had rather returne into Aegipt to feede on our Onyons Leekes and Garleeke then to taste of the sweet Manna the worde of the euerliuing God Iohn 1.10 The light came into the world and men looued darkenesse more then light The Lorde of his aboundant mercy Luk. 19.42.44 open our eyes that we may once sée those things which belong to our peace and know the time of our visitation that by our vnthankfulnes wee neuer deserue to haue the glorious Gospell of Christ to be taken from vs. Alas déere brethren we consider not the heauie iudgements of God which hange ouer our heads and shall moste certainely be powred vpon vs vnlesse we repent vs of this our vnthankfull contempt of the word of God It did nothing gréeue the Sodomites Gen. 19.16 when Lot was departed from them The olde world made no accompt of it Gen. 7.1 when Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse went from them entered into the Arke Amo◠7.10 Exod. 32.6 1. Cor. 10.17 All the lande of Iurie was not able to abide the words of Amos when Moses was away then were the people of Israell all merry they sate downe to eate drinke and rose againe to playe And so also it is with vs we rather wish that these labourers which we haue already should be taken away then that the number of them should be increased we had rather haue their absence then their presence their roome then theyr cōpany But I beséech you consider how in the end they were all most miserably plagued The Sodomites with fier brimstone from Heauen The old world with the floud ouerwelming the whole earth Exod. 32.27 2◠The Isralits with a lamentable murther staying euery man his brother and euery man his companion and euery man his neighbour The Iewes with a miserable captiuity in Babilō for the cause of their destruction was onely the despising of the Prophets of God as the Lord sheweth by his Prophet Ierm 29.18 I wil persecure them with the sworde and I will make them a terrour for all Kingdoms of the earth and a curse and astonishment and an
hissing and a reproche among all nations where I shall cast them because they haue not heard my words saith the Lorde When I sent vnto them my seruaunts the Prophets rising vp early and sending them but yee would not heare saith the Lord. But while they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his worde and misused his Prophets 2. Chro 36.16 beholde the Kinge of the Chaldaeans comming with a fearce and terrible Armie brake downe the Walles of their Cittie fiered their Temple burnt all their Towers destroyed Man Woman and Childe so that none escaped death but such as were ledde into Captiuitye and all the Goulde and Treasures bothe of the Temple and of the Noble men was all caryed awaye into Babilon The Lorde knoweth whether the like Captiuitye be reserued for vs or no and the Lorde graunt that the dayes of our Gracious Prince Elizabeth be not shortened for our vnthankfulnesse There was neuer Countrey that euer despised the Prophetes of God but it afterwarde felte the scourge of God and shall wee which are most guiltye of this synne be onelye frée from the punishment No no it cannot be but either we shall taste of a miserable Captiuitie in this world or els of a farre greater Captiuitie 2. Thes 1.8.9 when Sathan shall lead bothe body and soule into the bottomlesse pit of Hell there to be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of God and from the glory of his power These things good people if they were well pondered in our minds they would make vs continually to flie vnto God with feruent and hartie prayer and to say with Dauid Blessed art thou O God Psalme 119.12 18 19 33 35 97 135. O teach me thy Statutes open mine eyes that I maye see the wonders of thy Lawe teache me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I will keepe it vnto the ende direct me in the pathe of thy commaundements for therein is my delight O how I loue thy law it is my meditation continually shew the light of thy countenaunce vpon thy seruaunt and teach me thy commaundements and they would make vs carefully to performe this which our Sauiour dooth commaund his seauentie Disciples To prave the Lord of the Haruest to sende forthe Labourers into his Haruest and not onely to pray for faithfull Labourers but also to put to our helping hands and to indeuour by all lawfull meanes possible to prouide for such as shall painefully labour in the Haruest of the Lord for otherwise if we will in words seeme to pray for them and then indéede can not finde in our harts to bestow any peny vpon them that the Labourers may haue their hier that they which sowe vnto you spirituall things Math. 10.10 1. Tim. 5.18 1. Cor. 9.11.14 Gala. 6.6 may in like māner reape of your carnall things that they which preach the Gospel may liue of the Gospell as the Lord hath ordeyned then are our prayers nothing els but mockeries and plaine Hipocrisie before God for outwardly we praye for them but inwardly we are not touched with the want of the thing that we desire Héere then is a Lesson for all Latrones as they are but Patrones as they should be that in bestowing their liuings they séeke not to enritche themselues by Sacriledge and Church robberie nor yet to prouide for such as will flatter them in their sinnes and sowe Pillowes vnder their Elbowes and crie Peace peace where as no peace is Ezech. 13.18 Ierem. 23.30 nor such as haue sweete lippes and will passe and repasse vnder their armes at their own pleasure nor such as are domb Dogges and cannot barke blinde guides and cannot see Isa 56.10 but that they trauaile to the vttermost of their power to place faithfull labourers in the Haruest of the Lord or otherwise they are accessarie to the murder of so many soules as perish And héere also is a lesson for you of the inferior sorte that séeing our liuings are so spoyled by impropriations that they are not able to maintaine Preachers amongst you for ye know that we haue but the chaffe and others the corne we the parings and other the Aples we the shels and others the Kernels and ye sée how euery day it waxeth worse worse so that he now dooth account him happiest which can pill the Church moste yet ye must not follow their wicked and desperate ensample but euery one contribute something to the maintenaunce of some learned Pastor to instruct you in the word of God which is able to saue your soules Set not your mindes so vpō worldly things Luke 14.18 as vpō your Oxen your Farmes and your Wiues that in the meane time Math. 13.46 ye neglect the Heauenly Supper which is prepared for you by Iesus Christe Ye must accompt the Gospell of Christ to be that Precious Pearle which when a Marchaunt man hath found it he selleth all he hath to bine it Phil. 3.8 Math. 6.33 ye must accompt all things but doonge so that ye may win our Lord Iesus Christ Seeke ye firste the kingdome of Heauen and then all things shall be giuen vnto you Spend not your substaunce in pride riot drunkennesse and excesse to the destruction both of your soules and bodies but bestowe it to the glory of God to the comfort of your brethren to the godly reléeuing of your familyes and to the saluation of your own soules Dauid saith Psalm 69. ◠O Lorde the zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp but we may say the zeale of our owne houses the pride and excessiue riotousnesse of our owne houses hath eaten vs vp but few of vs can say with Dauid O Lord the zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp Especially ye that are Landlordes and haue all the swéete and fatte of the earth ye are to looke vnto it that there be prouision made for Labourers in the Lords Haruest and that ye bestowe your portion liberally thereunto for what a great shame is it that ye whom the Lord hath blessed with so great aboundance should prodigally spende it all vpon your owne backes all vpon your owne bellyes all vpon your owne Kitchins all vpon your owne Stables all vpon Hanking and Hunting all vpon Whores and Hounds and nothing vpon the Church of God nothing vpon the honour of your cheefe Lord in Heauen nothing vpon the common wealth nothing vpon your brethren in Christe deerly bought with the bloud of Christ And what a shame is it that ye should accompt the liuings of the Church to be your owne to giue them to buie them to sell them to farme them at your owne pleasures in the meane time to thinke that the care of the Church dooth nothing appertaine vnto you As the Prophet requireth of Princes Isa 49 23. so also all inferior Maiestrates ought to be Nurcing Fathers Nurcing Mothers to the church of God Now the dutie of a Nurce is not onely to
nurture and correct but also to feede the Childe Then if Iustices of Peace and Magistrates will punish the people for their sinnes as their murders Thefts and such other crimes and in the meane time neuer sée them fedde with the sincéere Milke of Gods worde then they are not Nurcing Fathers and Nurcing mothers but Stepfathers stepmothers for they beate but they doo not feede Pharao was a cruell tyraunt yet when all his people were so oppressed with hunger that they were compelled to sell their Cattle and grouÌ„d for Corne whereby all the Countrey was come into the Kings hands yet he would not onely not suffer the Priests to sell their possessions nor séeke any gaine by their hinderaunce but also of his owne costes he prouided for them Gen. 47. â— for the Text saith The Priests had an ordinarie of Pharao and they did eate the ordinary which Pharao gaue them and therefore they did not sell their ground Iezabell 1. Reg. 18.9 so prouided for the Préests of the Groues that she kept foure hundred at her owne Table The papists haue thought nothing too much to be bestowed on the maintenauÌ„ce of their foolish superstition and all the Heathen people in the world are bountifull and liberall vnto their Priests and Southsayers how much more then ought we Christians to be carefull to prouide not for idolatrous Massing Priests nor Heathenish Southsayers but for faithfull labourers in the Lordes Haruest to feede the flock of Christe which he hath purchased with his bloud for otherwise moste certainely the blinde deuotion of the Papists and Infidels will condemne vs and it will be more easie for them then for vs at the dreadfull daye of iudgement for as nothing ought to be more deare to the Minister then his flock that he may say vnto them Phil. 1.8 4.1 as Paul saith vnto the Philippians God is my record how I long after you all froÌ„ the verye hart roote in Iesus Christ my brethren belooued and longed for ye are my ioy and my crowne continue in the Lord my belooued So on the other side the people should haue ioy in nothing so much as in the Ministers and therfore God saith to the Church Isa 49.17.18 1. Thes 5.13 by the Prophet Esay Thy builders make hast as I liue saith the Lord thou shalt surely put them all vpon thee as a Garment and girde thy selfe with them as a Bride shewing thereby that the ioye and Crowne of the Church ought to be the good and godly estate of the builders therof that they may be able according to the word of God 1. Cor. 9.4.5 1. Tim. 3.2.4 â— Cor. 9.14 not onely to sustaine themselues with meate and drinke but to maintaine a wife being a sister as Paul saith to keepe Hospitallity to the credit of their calling to prouide for their children liuing vnder obedience with all honesty in all points wel and honestly to liue of the Gospel and not to be brought to such miseryas they are now in a maner to beg from dore to dore And thus ye see it is your dutie not onely to pray for faithfull labourers but to seeke by al meanes possible to maintaine faithful Labourers and likewise to keepe out all Hierlings theeues and murderers And therfore you my Lorde are here also admonished not to regard the pittifull and lamentable complaints of those which alledge their charges heeretofore and their present pouertie that vnlesse their sonnes be nowe admitted they must needes take them from the Schole and set them to the Plowe and Carte but to aunswer them as Vlisses answered Andromache intreating for her boy Astianax Thy teares O woman moue me much but the teares of my countrey-women ought to mooue me more your coÌ„plaints indeede are lamentable but muche more pittiful are the teares of the Church the spouse of Iesus Christ And last of all ye that are the parents are here to learne to weigh the gifts ability of your childreÌ„ before ye seek to bring theÌ„ into the Ministery It is a common vse custome among you if your children haue any good gifts of nature or any great token of towardlinesse then to set theÌ„ to some occupation or to place them in seruice with some Gentleman but if they be good for nothing then to seeke by countenaunce of letters to make them Ministers to serue the Church of God so that with the best ye will serue the world and God must take that which is left whereas indéede ye ought to thinke none to good to serue the Lorde although ye had but one 1. Sam. 1.22 and him as deere vnto you as Samuell was to Elcana and Anna but to accompt it as King Dauid did a more honorable thing to be a dorekeeper in the house of his God Psalm 84.10 then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse what more vile office then a dorekeeper Yet Dauid béeing a King had rather be a doore keeper in the house of his God then to dwell in the Palaces and Tents of vngodlinesse The scornefull kéeping back of the worthy and the carelesse and impudent thrusting in of the vnworthy is a manifest signe that ye haue not that care for the Lords Haruest which ye ought to haue séeing that ye séeke to place therein loyterers thrust in by your selues and not labourers sent from God Ye sée by the words of Christ in this place that none ought to labour in the Lords Haruest vnlesse he be sent of God which is the Lorde of the Haruest Rom. 10.15 therefore Paul saith How shall they heare without a Preacher or how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent No man taketh this honour vnto him but he that is called of God euen as Aaron was Hebâ— 5. â— Now they only are truely sent and called of God which inwardly haue God the Author of their calling and be fully perswaded in hart that God hath chosen them to be fit Labourers for the profit and benefit of his Church outwardly haue the Church or the Elders therof by the ordinance of God to lay this office vpon them If any doo thrust in them selues before they be thus sent of God doo preache the worde or Minister the Sacraments being either men which are not called or women which may not be called to that publique function 1. Tim. â— 11 1â— Numb 16.31 they are no better then Core Dathan and Abiram who with two hundred fifty men offered Incense to the Lorde without calling but the earth claue vnder their feete and opening her mouthe swallowed vp both them and their Tabernacles and a fier comming foorth from the Lord consumed the two hundred fiftie meÌ„ which offered the Incense and therefore although there be great want of Labourers in the Lords Haruest and few to Preach the word of God yet none ought to intrude themselues 1. Thes 5. â—1 Iam. 5.19 Deut. â— 7 before they be called and sent